Machine for use in the manufacture of shoes



Feb. 9, 1932. EPPLER 1,843,974

MACHINE FOR USE IN\I'HE MANUFACTURE OF SHOES Filed Feb. 26, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 9, 1932. EPPLER 1,843,974

' MACHINE FOR USE IN'THE MANUFACTURE OF SHOES Filed Feb. 26, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented F eb. 9, 1932 ui is r TIES ANDREW EPPLER, or Lynn, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNVOYR To UNITED snon iv acinnnar coiaroaarton, or rarnnson, NEW messy, a scare-Barron or new JERSEY MACHINE roe use IN THE ManurAcrU-isn or sirens Application filed February 26, 1930. Serial No. 431,599.

This invention'relates to machines foruse in themanufacture of shoes and is herein. illustrated as embodied in a machine foreffecting both a turning and a shaping operation upon shoes. In the manufacture of turn shoesthe heel:

portion of a shoe is turned by a pair of cooperating members, for example by aplunger and a heel-turning cup of the character dlsclosed in United States Letters Patent No.

1,020,812, granted March 19, 1912 upon the application'of A. Eppler. In the use of the machine disclosed-in the above-mentioned Letters Patent, the heel portion of an unturned shoe is placed over a heel cup and a plunger is thereupon depressed against the bottom oft-he heel portion of the shoe, causing the upper of the heel portion of the shoe to be turned over the upper edges of the heel 3' cup. The counter portion of the shoe, after being turned and regardless of the machlne or'method whereby the turning operation is effected, has an inherent tendency to assume a more or less bulged form. The toe P01131011 of theshoeis then turned by other lnstrumentalities, and the shoe is then lasted and subjected to shaping operations to conform it to the shape of the last. Oneof theses'hap ing operations consists in the pounding of the upper of the counter portion of the shoe against the last to flatten out the above -men tioned bulge. I An object of the present invention 1s to I provide a machine capable not only of efiectwhile the shoe is still in temper'for'the turning operation, of effecting a shaping operation and thereby eliminating or minimizing the extent of shaping operrtionslater to be 40' performed upon the shoe when it'is lasted.

The operative instrumentalities of the illustrated machine consist of two shoe-engaging members each co-operatmg independently of the other with a third shoe-engaging 1 ing a turning operationupon a shoe butalso,

shaping operation; In accordance with a feature of the invention, means are provided for actuating each pair. independently of the other. The shaping movement may advantageously be repeated while the turning movement need take place but once, and the abovementioned provision vfor independent actuation permits, repetitionof the shaping movement without. unnecessary repetitionof the turning movement. Inasmuch as each of the. two first-mentioned members performs! its function independently of the other, it may be desirable to adjust each of these two members independently of the other and with respect to the third member.- The independence of the two first-mentioned members affords an opportunity for such separate adjustment, and in accordance with another. feature of the invention such independent adjustment is provided. In the illustrated machine, one of the shoe-engaging members consists of a heel-turning cup; another consists of a member formed to impose a desired shape upon the exterior of a portion of the shoe; andthe' third member is a plunger formed to co-operate with the heelicup'in' turning the heel portion of the shoe and also to co-operate withthe' shaping member to elfect the shaping operation.

In accordance with; a further feature of the invention, the shoe-engaging members are constructed'andlarranged for relative move; ment in different directions toeflectthe turn ing and the shaping operations respectively." The relative movement of the turning'instrumentalitiespreferably takes place in a direction approximately heightwise of the shoe while the relative movementof the shaping instrumentalities should take place in a direction substantially lengthwise'of the shoe in order to operate to the best advantage-and;

accordingly, provision is made in the-illus- Fri arranged for relative movements in different directions respectively; by relative movement in one direction they cooperate to impose the desiredshape upon the shoe and by relative movement .in another direction they effect relative entry and withdrawal of the plunger with respect to the shoe. In the illustrated machine the heel cup assists in SUPQOIJiBg' the shoe during the shaping operation and therefore functions as a shoe-supporting member. Provision is made for relative movement between the heel cup and the plunger in a direction substantially heightwise of the shoe to bring the plunger into and out of the shoe. p

In addition to the features of invention above referred to, the invention also. consists in certain devices, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafterdescribed and claimed, the advantages of which will be obvious to. those skilled in the art. A shoeturning machine embodying the invention in its preferred form. is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of t 1e machine;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged View in side elevation of thehead of'the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig, 3 isa front elevational view of a portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1; and

Figs. 4 and 5.arefragmentary longitudinal sectional views. illustrating. the shaping effect upon a. shoe of certain instrumentalities of the machine.

The frame. of the illustrated machine con sists. of a. standard 10 carrying a. head 12. Journaled: in the. head 12 upon a fulcrum pin 14 is a lever 16 carrying at its forward. ends aturret 18;provided with one or more arms 20. Each. of the arms 20 has formed in it a guideway 22 for a. dove-tailed slide 24 which depends from a, shaping-member carrier 26. Theshaping-member carrier 26. carries at its rear end: a shaping member 28 which is formed to impart a desired shape upon the heels endofa shoe, and extendin forwardly from the carrier 26 is. av plate 30 for supporting theishank portion of the shoe. .The carrier 26 may be secured. in a position of adjustment forwardly or, rearwardly in the g11ileivay221hy meansof; ascrew 32 threaded through thebottom wallof the carrier and the. dove-tail 24., thelower end of the screw 32 hearing, againstthe bottom of the guideway 22 and thereby jamming the dove-tail 24 in any desired position of adjustment. The lateral edges of the carrier 26 are beveled, and a heelv cup-34 has a, dove-tailed slot 36 formed inits base, th late'raledges of the slot 36. being complemental to the lateral beveled edgesof the carrier Interposed between one-of the beveled edges. of the carrier 26 and one of thelateral edges of the slot 36 isagib 38, and three clamping screws 40are threaded throughthe adjacent side of the cup. 34 for clamping the cup and the gib.

in anydesired position. of: lengthwise. adjustment. against the carrier 26.. A lengthwise Of. the position of the heel cup 34. The cup.

- may be provided as desired, the turret 18'being rotatably mounted on a pin 46 carried on the lever 16v to enable any one of the arms 20 to be brought into operative position.

Fulcrumed upon a pin 48 mounted in the head 12 is a curved lever 50 carrying in its upper portion a bearing 52 for a pin 54. Clamped upon and depending from the forward end of the pin 54 is a, holder 56 in which is clamped a shankportion of a downwardly extending plunger 58. As; shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, the rear portion 60 of the plunger 58 is formed to impose a desired shape upon the upper of the: heel end of the shoe. The rear end of the pin 54 carries a depending fork, 62 which straddles the up per portion of the lever 50 and thereby limits the transverse movement of the plunger 58. A. pair of coil compression springs are carried in hollow bosses 64 formed in the arms of the fork 62 respectively and serve to cushion the transverse movement of the plunger 58 by engagingthe sides of the lever 50; The above-described arrangement for securing the plunger 58 to the lever 50 with provision for transverse yielding movement of the plunger is in all respects identical with that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 944,260, granted December 28, 1909 upon an application of A. Eppler.

The lower end of the lever 50 is pivotally connected to a link 66, the lower end of the link 66 being pivotally connected with a link: 68 which is mounted for swinging movement abouta pin, 70 supported in the frame 10. A treadle bar 72 is fulcrumed upon a pin 74 secured in the lower portion of the frame 10, and a link 76 connects the outer end of: the link 68with the treadle bar 7 2. A tension spring 77 interposed betweenthe link-68 and the upper portion of the standard 10 tends to maintain the treadle bar 72 and the plunger 58. normally in raisedv position. A pin.78 (Fig. 2) is journaled in the lever 50, and a link 80 is pivotally connected by a pin 82 to the rear end of the lever 16, the link 80 being slidably mounted for longitudinal movement in the pin 78. A pair of compression springs 84. are disposed upon the link 80 uponoppositesides respectively of the pin 7 8, theouter ends of the springs 84 being adjustably held against longitudinal movement by nuts 86,.which, are threaded upon the link 80 and which are maintained in their adjusted positions. by lock nuts 88. Journaled upon the fulcrum pin 48 is a bell-crank lever 90 carrying a handle 92 upon one ofits ends, its opposite end being oonnected by a link 94 to the pin 82 at-the rear end of the lever 16. i Y

- The operation of turning the heel end of a shoe is effected by: first placing the shoe,

which is inside out, over theheel cup 34with the bottom' of the heel portionfiof'the shoe uppermost and the upper of theheelportion extending downwardly. and outside of the wall 42. The operatorthen depresses the treadle bar 72, causing the plunger 58 to be brought down into engagement with the bot-1 tom of the heel portion of the shoe. :Eur-

therJdepression of the treadle'TzZ causes the plunger 58 to force the bottomof the heel portion ofthe shoe down within ftheicu'pf34' and the-upperof'the shoe to be turned by the-upper edges ofthe walls 42. The roll 44 serves to relieve the friction. of theupper as it is being turned. To facilitate the turning operation, as, for.v example, by preventing binding of the shoe upper on the heel cup 34.

as the upper is being turned, the heel cup 34 is yieldingly advanced toward the plunger 58 during the downward movement of the plunger. Thisi advancing movement is effected through the link 80, the upper spring 84-serving to cushion the forward movement of the heel cup and to permit the heel cup to yield rearwardly to accommodate any abnormality in the shoeand thereby to prevent, tearing of the material of the shoe upper,

The lower spring 84 permits the cup 34' to yield forwardly if the force exerted upon it by the shoe during the turning operation should tend to urge it in that direction. Fig. 2 shows the position of the plunger 58 after it has completed the turning operation upon a shoe S, Figs. 4- and 5 show in greater detail the various parts of the shoe, U designating the outer covering of the shoe upper,

' C designating the counter, L designating the inner lining, and B designating the bottom of the heel portion. It will be noted that at the completion of the turning operation.

there is a pronounced bulge in the materials of the heelupper near the base of the heel,

as illustrated inFig. 4. This bulge may be eliminated by the operator pulling forward upon the handle 92 against the compression of the upper spring 84, causing the shaping member 28 to be brought into engagement v with the rear portion of the heel upper and grip of;.the )lu n ger ,58 and the base of the cup and of the shaping member, and the shaping operation is thus facilitated. The above-described provision for transverse yielding of the. plunger 58 insures that the plunger will automatically assume a position of registrywith the shaping member 28 when the latter is urged forwardly by the operator,

and eliminates any necessity for precise ad- 7 justmentof the. plunger and the shaping HIBIIlbBIlIl a. direction transversely of the shoe; 'The operator may then release the handle 92,;and by repeating this shaping,

operation several times the bulge will be pressed-out permanently and the shoe will retain the desired form. imposed upon it by the shaping, member .28 and the-rear portion of theplunger 58.

' The adjustment of-the heel cup34 lengthwise of the shoe should be made to bring the heel cup into its most advantageous position in respect to the plunger 58 to enable the turning'operation to beperformed with the leaststrain upon the shoe S. The shaping member 28, on the other hand, should be adjusted a sufficient distance in back of the heel cup 34 so as not to interfere with the turning operation, but, on the other hand, should be sufficiently close to the heel cup 34 to be immediately available for use. in the shaping operation. 7

The stress of the springs 84 may be in creased by turning the nuts 86 to bring them toward each; other, and may be diminished by rotating the nuts 86 in the opposite direction. 3 The nuts 86 may also'both be moved in the same direction along the link to vary the neutral position of the shaping member and heel-cup assembly. with respect to the plunger 58.v 1

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising a turning member, a shapingmember, and athird member constructed and arrangedto co-operate with said turningmember to eflect a turning operation upon a shoe and toco-operate with said shaping member to effect a shaping operation upon the shoe, said shaping member being adjustable with respect to its position in relation. to the third member independently of said turning member.

2. ,A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising a heel-turning cup, a shaping member, and a plunger formed to co-op-erate with said cupin turningthe heel portion of a shoe and with said shaping member to effect a. shaping operation upon the shoe, said heel-turning member being adjustable with respect to itsposition in relation to said plunger independently of said cup.

A-.machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising a heel-turning cup, a shaping member, and; a plunger, formed to co-operate with said cup in turning the heel portion of a shoe and: with said shaping member to effect a shaping operation upon thev shoe, said heel-turning member and said cup being adjustable independently of each other with respect to their positions in relation to said plunger.

l. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising a turning member, a shaping member, and a third member, said turning member and said third member being constructed and arranged for relative movement to effect a turning operation upon a shoe, and said shaping member and said third member being constructed and arranged for relative movement to effect a shaping operation upon the shoe and being also third member and said shaping member to effect a shaping operation upon the shoe, and means for securing said turning and shaping members independently in adjusted positions resoectively upon said support.

6. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising a heel-turning cup, a shaping member, a plunger formed to cooperate with said cup in turning the heel portion of a shoe and With said shaping member to effect a shaping operation upon the shoe, a common support for said heel-turning cup and said shaping member, means for 1 causing relative movement between said support and said plunger to effect said turning and shaping operations upon the shoe, and.

means for independently securing said heel cup and said shaping member in adjusted positions respectively upon said support. 1

7. In a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, a heel-turning cup, a member formed to impose a desired shape upon the heel endof a shoe by engagement With the er:-

J terior of said end, and means for adjustably securing said shaping member at a desired distance from said cup in a position to engage the heel end of a shoe positioned in said cup.

8. In a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, a heel-turning cu'p having an opening in its rear Wall, a member formed to impose a desired shape upon-the heel end of a shoe by engagement With the exterior of said end, and means for adjustably securing said shaping member at a desired distance behind said openingin a position to engage the heel end of a shoe positioned in said cup.

9. In a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, a heel-turning cup having an opening in its rear Wall, a member formed to impose a desired shape upon the heel end of a shoe by engagement With the exterior of said end, a common support for said cup and said shaping member, and independently adjustable means for securing said cup and said. shaping member upon said support at desired points respectively in a direction lengthwise of a shoe positioned in said cup, said shapingmember being positioned behind said cup to engage the heel end of a shoe positioned in. said cup.

10. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising a plurality of shoe-engaging members, means for effecting relative movement between a pair of said members to effect a turning operation upon a shoe, and independent means for effecting relative movement between a pair of said members to effect a shaping operation upon the shoe.

11. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising a heel-turning cup, a shaping member, a plunger,.means for causing relative movement between said cup and said plunger to turn the heel portion of a shoe, and independent means for causing'relative movement between said shaping member and said plunger to effect a shaping operation upon the shoe.

12. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising a plurality of shoe-engaging members co-operating in pairs, the members of one pair being constructed and arranged'for relative movement in one direction to effect a turning operation upon a shoe and the members of another pair being constructed andarranged to providefor relative movement in another direction to effect a shaping operation upon the shoe, one of said members being common toboth of said pairs;

13. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising a turn ng member, a

shaping member, and a third member, said and one of said turning members being constructed andarranged to provide forrelative movement 111 a dlrection substantially plunger co-operating with said cup' to turn the heelportlon of a shoe, and .a shaping member,: said shaping member and" said plunger being constructed and arranged to provide for relative movement in a direction substantially lengthwise of the shoe for effecting ashaping operation upon the shoe. p 16. A machine for the use in the manufacture ofshoes comprising 'a heel-turning cup, a plunger formed to IDIPOSG a desired shape upon a portion of a shoe to be treated and co-operating with said cup toturn theheel portion of said shoe, and a shaping member formed to co-operate with sai plunger in imposing the desired shapeby. engagement with theexterior' of said portion of the shoe, said shaping member and said plunger being constructedand arranged to provide for relative. movement in. a direction substantially lengthwise of the shoe for effecting the shapihg operation-uponthe shoe. .1 1

R '17. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprisingplurality. of turning members operating by relative movement in "of shoes comprising means for supporting a shoe to be treated, a plunger formed'to impose a desired'shape-upon a portion ofthe shoe by engagement: with'the interior of the a direction approximately heightwise of a shoe, and a member constructed and arranged to be moved independently of one of said "turning members in a. direction substantially ;lengthwise of the shoe for pressing aportion of the shoe against'said one turning member to shape said portion of the shoe.

18. A machine for use 1n the manufacture of shoes comprising a heel-turnmg cup, a

plunger cooperating with said cup and movable in a direction approximately heightwise of a shoe positioned fortreatment upon said cup for turning the heel portion of said shoe, and amember constructed and arranged to be moved independently of said plunger in a direction substantially lengthwise of the shoefor shaping a portion of the shoe by pressing said portion against said plunger;

19. A machine for use in the'manufacturc "of shoes comprising means for supportinga shoe to be treated, a plunge-r formed to impose a'desired shape upon a portionofthe shoe by engagement with the interior ofthe shoe, and a shaping member co-operating "with said plunger and formed to impose'the shaping member being mounted for yielding relative movement transversely of the shoe to insure registry with each other.

2O. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising a plunger havmg a form complemental to the desired form of the interior of a portion of a shoe, andia shaping member-having a form complemental to the desired form of the exterior of said portion of the shoe, said plunger and said shaping member 'beingmounted for relative movement toward each other to effect a shaping operation upon a shoe,'and being also mounted for relative movement in a direction different from the direction of the first-mentioned relative movement to eflect relative entry and withdrawal of the plunger withrespect'to the shoe.

21'. A machme for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising a plunger and a shaping.

member having substantially complemental Shapes respectively and'adapted to cooperate by engagement with the interior and theexterior respectively of the upper of the'heel end ofv a shoe'to impose a desired shape upon said upper, said plunger and said shaping member being mounted for relative movement in a direction substantially heightwise of the shoe to effect relative entry and withdrawal of the plunger with respect to the shoe, and being also mounted for 'relative movement toward each' other in a direction --substant1 ally "parallel to the shoe bottom to effect the desired shaping operation; T

-- 22. A machine'for use in themanu-facture shoe, and a shaping: member co-operating with said plunger and formed to imposethe desired shape upon said portion'of the shoe shaping member being constructed andarranged to provide for relative movement substantially lengthwise of the shoe.

23. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising means :for supporting. a shoe to be treated, a plunger formed to im- 1 pose a desired shape upona portion of the shoeby engagement with the interior of the shoe and mounted for movement intothe shoe, and a shaping member formed to 1mpose a desired shape upon said portion o the shoe by engagementwith the exterior of the shoe and constructed and arranged to be moved independently of said plunger to press said perti on'of the shoe against said plunger.

24. A machine for use in the. manufacture of shoes comprising means for supporting a shoe, a plunger formed to impose a desired shape upona portion of the shoe by engagement with 3 the interior of the shoeand mounted for .movement into the shoe, and means mounted upon said shoe-supporting means co-ope-ratin with said plunger byenfgagement with th exterior of said portion of the shoe for shaping said portiomsaid shoe-supporting means being movable tocause said shaping means to press said portion of the shoe against said plunger.

25. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising a heel-turning cup, a support for said heel-turning cup, a plunger nounted for entry into said cup to effect in co-operation with said cup the turning of the heel portion of a shoe and formed to impose a desired shape upon the upper of .the heel port-ion of the shoe, and means co-operating with said plunger by engagement with the exterior of the shoe for shaping the upper of the heel portion of the shoe, said support being movable to cause said shaping means to press the upper of the heel portion of the shoe against said plunger.

26. A machine for use 111 the manufacture of shoes comprising a heel-turning cup, 2.

support for said heel-turning cup, a plunger mounted. for entry into said cup to effect in co-operation with said cup the turning of the heel portion of a shoe and formed to impose a desired shape upon the upper of the heel portion of the shoe, and a shaping member mounted on said support for adjustment independently of said cup, said shaping member being constructed and arranged to co-operate with said plunger by engagement with the exterior of the shoe for shaping the upper of the heel portion of the shoe, said support being movable to cause said shaping member to press, the upper of the heel portion of the shoe against said plunger.

27. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising a pair of members constructed and arranged upon relative movement in one direction to effect a turning operation upon a shoe, and a pair of opposed springs acting upon one of said members to provide for yielding relative movement between said members in another direction both toward and from each other to relieve strain upon the shoe.

28. A machine for turning the rear or counter portionof a turn shoe having, in combination, ahollow form over which the shoe is turned, a plunger movable into and out of the form, said form being movable in a direction lengthwise of the shoe, and a palr of opposed springs acting upon said .form'to provide for yielding movement of said form both toward and from the plunger as the plunger passes within the form during the turningoperation to relieve strain on the upper of the shoe.

29. A machine for turning the rear or counter portion of a turn shoe having, in combination, a form over which the shoe is turned, aplunger movable into and out of the form, and means for moving the form in a direction substantially lengthwise of the shoe during the turning gmration, said moving means including a pair of opposed springs constructed and arranged to permit said form to yield in a direction lengthwise of the shoe both toward and from the plunger to relieve strain on the upper of the shoe.

30. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising a pair of members constructed and arranged upon relative movement in one direction to effect a turning operation upon a shoe, said members being mounted for yielding relative movement in both right and left directions transversely of the shoe to accommodate variations of the shoe from the normal and thereby to avoid excessive strain upon the shoe.

81. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising a pair of members constructed andarrange'd upon relative move-2.8 ment in a predetermined direction to effect a turning operation upon a shoe, said members being mounted for. yielding movement in different directions respectively and transversely of saidpredetermined direction.

32. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising a heel-turning cup, and a plunger constructed and arranged. upon relative movement in a predetermined direction to turn the heel portion-of a shoe, said plunger'bein'g mounted foryielding movement transverselyof the shoe and said heel cup" being mounted for yielding movement lengthwise of the shoe.

83. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising a plunger formed to impart a desired shape to. the "upper of the heel portion of ashoe, means co-operating with said plunger to turn the heel portion of the shoe and to shape the upper thereof, a supportfor said co-operating means, means for moving said plunger downwardly with respect to ashoe supported on said co-operating means to turn the heel portion of the shoe, and means for moving said support forwardly with respect to the shoe while the plunger is stationary within the shoe to shape the upper of the heel portion of the shoe.

34. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising a plunger formed to 1 impart a desired shape to the upper of the heel portion of a shoe, means co-operating with said plunger to turn the heel portion of the shoe and to shape the upper thereof, a support for said co-operating means, means for moving said plunger downwardly with respect to a shoe supported on said co-operating means to turn the heel portion of the shoe, means actuated by said moving means for yieldingly urging said support forward- .120 ly with respect to the shoe to facilitate the turning operation, and means for positively moving said support forwardly with respect to the shoe while-the plunger is stationary within the shoe to shape the upper ofthe-. heel portion'of the shoe.

"35. A machine for use in themanufa'cture of shoes comprising a plunger formed to impart a desired shape to the upper of the heel portion of a shoe, means co-operating-ll with said-plunger to turn the heel portion of the shoe and to shape the upper thereof, a support for said co-operating means, a pivotal mount for said plunger constructed and arranged to provide for downward movement of said plunger with respect to a shoe supported on said co-operating means, a pivotal mount for said supporting means constructed and arranged to provide for forward movement of said supporting means with respect to the shoe, means for moving said plunger downwardly to effect a turning operation upon the shoe, and means operable while the plunger is stationary within the shoe to move the support forwardly to effeet a shaping operation upon the shoe.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. a

ANDREW EPPLER. 

